THE PRIME Minister has played down a row with the Scottish Government over air bridge proposals – insisting he has “very good conversations” with devolved administrations.
A row erupted earlier this week between Westminster and Edinburgh over the easing of quarantine rules for travellers arriving in the UK – with Nicola Sturgeon yesterday accusing the UK Government of wanting to “pick needless fights”.
But Boris Johnson has now insisted that all governments are on the same page with the air bridges proposals.
Speaking to LBC radio, Mr Johnsons said: “We have had very good conversations with all the devolved administrations about this.
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“I am sure that everybody will work together to make sure that people’s holidays to those countries – and it is a small list of countries where we are going to have the air bridges – can go ahead.
“There will be large parts of the world, I’m afraid at the moment, where you will have to observe 14 days’ quarantine when you have come in and that is only right.
“We have made a huge effort in this country to get this virus under control. We cannot have reinfection from abroad.”
The United States and Greece have been excluded from a list of around 60 countries and overseas territories that English holidaymakers can visit without being required to go into quarantine when returning.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said it was “disappointing” that the UK Government announced its plan, which is due to come into effect from July 10, “before a four nations agreement has been reached”.
The Scottish Government added that the UK Government’s list consists of countries “which present differing levels of risk”.
UK Transport Grant Shapps indicated that the Scottish Government was delaying an announcement on air bridges between the UK and countries which will be exempt from the 14-day isolation period.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon hits out at 'shameful' Boris Johnson amid furious quarantine row
But the Holyrood administration said the claim was “completely unfounded” and accused the UK Government of failing to keep Scottish ministers fully updated on the plans.
The First Minister said Mr Shapps had misrepresented the situation “which is disappointing but sadly not surprising”.
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Ms Sturgeon claimed that the UK Government “seems to struggle to understand” how a four nations agreement works.
She added: “I don’t think it is accurate to say that it was only the Scottish Government raised questions about timing or content on this.
“The UK Government should maybe just stop trying to pick needless fights here and actually commit to four nations discussions in the proper way, which involves listening to us.”
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